Conveyer



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 li'I IIIIII-I I.

CONVBYER I l l l lllOllIIIIIMIIIIIIIMIIIIIIIQIIllllOllllIl JQL. HERO LD Filed Jan. 27, 1941 March 30, 1943.

, INVENTOR.

JAMES l HEROLD W 2 MXMQ I ATTORNEY.

March 30, 1943;

J. L. HEROLD CONVEYER Filed Jan. 27, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /i \rlf INVENTORV JAMES L. HEROLD mg Patented Mar. 30, 1943 ear EES ENT 0i FlQ E] y CONVEYERJ JamesL. Herold,- St. Louis, Mo assignor. to Barry- WehmiHer Machinerycompany, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri ApplicatiomJainuary 27, 1941', Serial No. 376,158

6 Claims.

This invention relates to conveyers", andmore particularly to a .conveyer: comprising. one. or more movable carriers for alternately supporting and advancing articles. conveyerincludes numerous. elongatedbars for supporting-the articles and aplurality. ofrcross supports havingseats. alined with each other-in the same horizontal plane for the bottomiaces of thebars;

Prior to my invention in this art, it. has been. a problem to quickly and accurately seat the nu-. merous relatively narrow'ba-rs on the alined seats of the cross supports andumaintain this alinemerit while the carrier is in operation.

One of the objects of this invention, therefore,-

is to provide a simple and effective means-for securing the numerous elongated bars ontothe alined seats on the. cross supports.

Another object of this. invention is to provide a simple fastening means which positively'forces the bars onto their seats andrthereafter securely locks the bars on said seats. Another object is' to provide a.- locking connection between the elongated bars andi'cross supports whichmay be easily and rapidlyformed with a simple: and inexpensive tool;

'A'further object of this invention'isto'producea fastening means for locking. the relatively long.

bars onto the cross supports: which. provides for expansion and contractionofthe'bars without objectionable bending of the bars o1 displacement of the fasteningmeans.

A still further object of this invention-J is to provide each cross support with-ya meansi-rformaintaining the desired alinement of" the seats thereon.

With the foregoing and other objects in. view; the invention comprises the novelconstruction; combination and arrangement of parts her-sine after more specifically describedand shownj-in the accompanying drawings; which illustrate only one form of the invention. Howevergitqis to be understood that the invention-complie hends changes, variations and modifications within the scope of the terms. employed-"inthe claims hereunto appended.

Fig. l is a side view of a conveying apparatus embodying the features of this. invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section throughthe conveying apparatus.

Figs. 3 to 5 are diagrammatical views illustrating various positions of the carriers which :advance the articles step by step.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective View of the details of the carriers including the The carrier inrthis typeelongated bars for supporting the articles and the cross supports for said bars.

Fig.1? is: an'enlarged; fragmentary view partly in sectionishowing. the elongated bars on one of the. cross; supports and a tool" for securing the bars to the cross supports.

Fig; 811s an enlarged transverse section in Figs. 6, '7, and 8. Each of .the'cross supports I02 is; secured between a pair of angle bars l2 bymea-ns of bolts? li3,'and:the end portions of the angle bars- I'Zare secured to elongated beams M asshown in Fig. 2.

The carrier Bris similar in construction to the carrier'A and comprises-numerous spaced elongatedbars ifi apl'urality ol cross supports l6 having seats ll alined-with eachpther in the same-horizontal plane,angle bars-I8 secured to opposite sidesof the cross" supports Sand 21 pair .ofelongated beams l9 (Fig. 2)' securedto opposite ends of the angle bars.

Each of the cross supports l0 and I6 is provided with adjustable means for-maintaining the seats H- or ll thereon; in alinement with each other." As shownrin Fig. 2, said adjustable means includes-truss members 20 and 2| secured to-opposits end portions of angle bars 18- which are unitedwith the cross support iii, a turnbuckle 22: connecting the'truss members, and a strut 23 interposed between the truss member 20 and the. cross support. To avoid numerous duplications of i the same structure I have shownthe trussmembers, etct, as app'liedto only one of the crosssupports; HoweverLeachpf the cross supports maybe provided" with a similar structure.

As shown in Figs, 2 and-6 the bars 9 of carrier A andv bars'l5 of carrier B are alternately arranged'with respect to each other and have top faces on which the articles are alternately sup-' ported. Each of'saidcarriers is movable inan endless;.cycle upwardly'to an article supporting position, forwardly to advance the articles, downwardly out of contact with the articles, and rearwardly. to a retracted position. 1

supports the articles.

After the carrier B is lowered to the position shown in Fig. 4, the upper carrier A is driven for- 1 From. Y the position shown in Fig. 3, the carrier A is moved upwardly to an article supporting position 'flush with the other carrierB. Thereafter, the

7 carrier B is lowered so that the carrier A alone,

lever 38 fixed to a shaft 39 (Fig. l). The upper end of .the lever 38 is pivotally connected by a link 40 to the carrier A to impart a forward and backward movement to said carrier.

The carrier B moves simultaneously with the carrier A but in opposite directions. While the carrier A is moving forwardly the carrier B is moving rearwardly, and likewise the carrier A moves rearwardly while the carrier B is moving forwardly.

The means for driving the carrier B simultaneously with the carrier A but in said opposite directions includes a segmental gear 4| fixed to the shaft 39 (Fig. 1), a segmental gear 42 fixed to a shaft 43 and meshing with said gear 4|, an

. arm'44 secured to the shaft 43, and a link 45 wardly to advance the articles and the lower carrier B is simultaneously moved to a retracted position, such as is illustrated in Fig. 5. The lower carrier B is then moved upwardly to an article supporting position flush-with the carrier A. Thereafter. the carrier A is lowered to a position where it is out of contact with the articles. The upper carrier B is then moved forwardly to advance the articles while the lower carrier A.is moving rearwardly to a retracted position, such as shown in Fig. 3. I

The carriers A and'B are continuously driven in these endless cycles to alternately advance the articles step by step.

The means for raising and lowering the carrier A comprises a series ofrollers 24 located under and supporting each of the beams 14 at opposite sides of the carrier A, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The beams M are provided with guide plates'25 which are seated in grooves in the rollers 24 to prevent lateral displacement of the beams with respect to the rollers. The rollers-24 are movable simultaneously an arcuate course to raise and lower; the carrier A The means for moving the rollers in said arcuate course include a series of levers 26 carrying the'rollers under said beams.

The levers 26 arepivotally mounted in supports 21 and adapted to be actuated to swing the rollers 24in an arcuate course.

All of the levers 26 are simultaneously actuated to raise or lower the rollers 24. Any suitable drive device may be employed to actuate the levers 26, and. in Figs. 3 to 5 I have diagrammatically illustrated a piston 28 and cylinder 29 for accomplishing this result.

A series of rollers 30 is located under and supports each of the beams [9 at opposite sides of the carrier B. As shown in Fig. 2, the beams i9 are provided with guide plates 3| which are 10- cated in grooves in the rollers 39 to'prevent lat'-' respect to to swing the rollers in an arcuate course, thereby raising or lowering the carrier '13. Any suitable means may be employed to actuate the rollers 30, such as a piston 34 and cylinder 35 diagrammatically illustrated in Figs. 3 to 5. I i

As an illustration of a suitable means for mov ing the carrier A forwardly and backwardly, I

have diagrammatically shown a cylinder 36 and piston 31 in .Figs. 3 to 5 adapted to oscillatea All of the levers 32 are simultaneously actuated connecting the arm 44 to the carrier B.

"Itwill be observed that each of the carriers A and B includes numerous spaced elongated bars 9 or l6. In the operation of a conveyer of the type herein disclosed it is important that the elongated bars be accurately located on the alined seats on the cross supports and maintained in this position.

I will now refer. to the fastening devices for securing theelongated bars on the alined seats of the cross supports. In Figs. 7 and 8, I have shown the details of the fastening devices for securing the elongated bars 9 onto one of the cross supports IU of the'carrier A. However, it is understood that the bars 9 are likewise secured to the other supports it of the carrier A, and the bars [5 are secured to the cross supports iii of the carrier B in a similar manner, as suggested in Fig. 6.

Each individual fastening device includes a pair of attaching fingers 46 integral with the cross supports [0 or IE, and extending upwardly from opposite sides of one of the seats on the cross supports to prevent lateral displacement of the elongated bar on said seat.

As shown in Figs. 1, '7 and 8 the elongated bars are provided with transverse openings 4! above the seats. II on the cross supports to receive the upper portions of the attaching fingers 46 which are bent inwardly into the openings so that they engage opposite edges of the bottom walls of said opening as most clearly shown at the left in Fig. '7.

In'the manufacture of the carrier A the seats II and attaching fingers 46 are formed on the cross supports 19 to provide for the desired spacing of the elongated bars 9, and the cross supports are secured to the elongated beams I4 at predetermined intervals such as shown in Fig. l.

The openings 47 are formed in the elongated bars at spaced intervals approximately equal to the distances between the longitudinal center lines of the cross supports I9. The elongated bars are then located on the seats I I on the cross supports so that each opening is above one of the seats and between a pair of attaching fingers 46.

The openings 41 in the bars are preferably larger than the width of the attaching fingers so that regardless of inaccuracies in the spacing of the openings or cross supports, the attaching fingers can be bent into said openings. The relatively large openings 4? also provide for longitudinal expansion and contraction of the bars without imparting objectionable thrusts to the bars or attaching fingers.

After the bars are positioned on the cross supports as shown in Fig. 7, with the openings 41 above the seats H, the attaching fingers 46 are bent into the openings to positively force the bars onto their seats and lock the bars on said seats. I

As an illustration of one manner in which the attaching fingers may be bent to forcibly seat and lock the bars on their seats, I have shown a .tool 48 which is provided with diverging faces 49 adapted to be forced downwardly onto a pair of attaching fingers 46 to bend th same from the position shown at the right in Fig. 7 to the position shown at the middle of Fig. 7 The progressive clamping action imparted to the pair of fingers 46 by the diverging faces of the tool 46 will force the bar downwardly until it is firmly seated on its seat I I. The attaching fingers after being bent inwardly as shown at the left in Fig. '7 will engage the opposite edges of the bottom wall of the opening 41 to lock the bar on its seat.

All of the attaching fingers 46 may be rapidly bent to the position shown at the left in Fig. 7 by merely forcing the tool 48 downward onto each pair of fingers.

Th elongated bars I of the carrier B may be secured on their seats on the cross supports in the same manner as described in referring to the bars 9.

I claim:

1. In a conveying apparatus, a carrier comprising numerous spaced elongated bars for supporting and advancing articles, and a plurality of cross supports having seats alined with each other in the same horizontal plane to receive said numerous elongated bars, said elongated bars being provided with openings adjacent to said seats, and attaching members formed integral with the cross supports and extending into said openings to secure said bars on the alined seats of the cross supports, said openings in the bars being larger than the width of said attaching members to provide for longitudinal movement of the bars independently of the attaching members.

2. In a conveying apparatus provided with a carrier having spaced elongated bars for supporting and advancing articles and a plurality of cross supports having seats for said elongated bars, a plurality of fastening devices for securing said elongated bars on the seats of the cross supports, each individual fastening device including a pair of attaching fingers extending upwardly from opposite sides of one of said seats to prevent lateral displacement of the bar on said seat, said bar being provided with a transverse opening above said seat to receive the upper portions of th pair of attaching fingers, and said upper portions of the attaching fingers being bent inwardly at said opening to secure the bar on its seat.

3. In a conveying apparatus provided with a carrier having numerous spaced elongated bars for supporting and advancing articles and a plurality of cross supports having seats for said numerous elongated bars, a plurality of fastening devices for securing said elongated bars on the seats of the cross supports, each individual fastening device including a pair of attaching fingers integral with one of the cross supports and extending upwardly from opposite sides of one of said seats to prevent lateral displacement of the bar on said seat, said bar being provided with a transvers opening above said seat to receive the upper portions of the pair of attaching fingers, and the upper portions of said pair of attaching fingers being bent inwardly at said opening to frictionally engage opposite edges of the bottom wall of said opening.

4. A conveying apparatus provided with a carrier having numerous spaced elongated bars for supporting and advancing articles, a plurality of cross supports having seats alined with each other in the same horizontal plane to receive the bOtt faces of said numerous elongated bars, and a plurality of fastening devices for securing said elongated bars on the alined seats of the cross supports, each individual fastening device includin a pair of attaching fingers integral with one of the cross supports and extending upwardly from opposite sides of one of said seats to prevent lateral displacement of the bar on said seat, said bar being provided with a transverse opening above said seat to receive the upper portions of the pair of attaching fingers, the upper portions of said pair of attaching fingers being bent inwardly at said opening to frictionally engage opposite edges of the bottom Wall of said opening, and said opening in the bar being larger than the width of said fingers to provide for longitudinal movement of the bar independently of the attaching fingers.

5. In a conveying apparatus provided with a carrier having numerous spaced elongated bars for supporting and advancing article and a plurality of cross supports having seats alined with each other in the same horizontal plane to receive the bottom faces of said numerous elongated bars, adjustable means for maintaining the seats on the cross supports in alinement with each other, and a plurality of fastening devices for securing said elongated bars on the alined seats of the cross supports, each individual fastening device including a pair of attaching fingers integral with one of the cross supports and extending upwardly from opposite sides of one of said seats to prevent lateral displacement of the bar on said seat, said bar being provided with a transverse opening above said seat to receive the upper portions of the pair of attaching fingers, the upper portions of said pair of attaching fingers being bent inwardly at said opening to frictionally engage opposite edges of the bottom wall of said opening, and said opening in the bar being larger than the Width of said fingers to provide for longitudinal movement of the bar independently of the attaching fingers.

6. In a conveying apparatus provided with a pair of carriers each of which includes numerous spaced elongated bars for alternately supporting and advancing articles and a plurality of cross supports having seats alined with each other in the sam horizontal plane to receive the bottom faces of said numerous elongated bars, each of said cross supports being provided with means for maintaining the seats thereon in alinement with each other, said means including truss members secured to opposite end portions of one of the cross supports, a turnbuckl connecting said truss members, and a strut interposed between one of said truss members and the cross support, and a plurality of fastening devices for securing said elongated bars on the alined seats of th cross supports, each individual fastening device including a pair of attaching fingers integral with one of the cross supports and extending upwardly from opposite sides of one of said seats to prevent lateral displacement of the bar on said seat, said bar being provided with a transverse opening above said seat to receive the upper portions of the pair of attaching fingers, the upper portions of said pair of attaching fingers being bent inwardly at said opening to frictionally engage opposite edges of the bottom wall of said opening, and said opening in the bar being larger than the width of said fingers to provide for longitudinal movement of the bar independently of the attaching fingers.

JAMES L. HEROLD. 

